Crawl Out Through The Fallout
by Artemisieh 2
Summary: [Fallout 4] Set in the eyes of Nora, the female character in Fallout 4. Struggling to adapt to her changed world, Nora confides in a certain Minuteman.
1. Chapter 1

_Nate…_

I stared at his bloodied, limp form, tears welling in my eyes.

"Hon, wake up! T-they took Shaun!"

 _You tried to save him…_

Grasping onto his blue uniform, I shook him. When his chest didn't rise or fall, a desperate cry grew in my throat. "Goddamn it, Nate! P-please wake up!"

 _I couldn't do anything._

My vision was blurred, and snot, which I hurriedly wiped away, kept brushing the rise of my lips. I had sunk to the floor, pitifully grabbing at my husband's booted feet. I am unsure how long I had sat weeping in that spot.

 _The bald man, with a scar over his left eye... He took Shaun._

Nate was dead, and all I could do was walk out of that vault. I groped at the walls, still blinking away tears and wiping mucus from under my nose.

"Hello?"

No one replied. A nauseous silence filled the tunnels, only the hum of electricity could be faintly heard when ears were pressed to the walls.

I was startled, of course, when huge cockroaches ran at me from behind cupboards, desks, and from cracks in the ceiling. The pitter-patter of their movement echoed in the halls, and I yelped animatedly. As they neared, I attempted to hop over them.

 _To think I was afraid of spiders..._

I quickly walked away from them, squeamish and shuddering. Then I froze.

 _I had forgotten so quickly. Not even five minutes past._

Gasping unsteadily for breath, I fell to the floor. I wailed; curdling, despaired noises burst from me. Turning back from where I came, I desperately wished to return to his body and hold it tightly.

 _Shaun's alive._ He _isn't._

Terribly saddened, I faced the stairway towards the vault door. I had to find Shaun. Shaun needed me, with his tiny little body most likely in the clutches—

 _It didn't matter. All that matters is Shaun._

Numerous bodies littered the floor, many decaying, many more already bare-boned. The scent was terrible, even more so the sight of the giant cockroaches feasting on the last remaining bits of the dead.

I hadn't realized I was gagging until the roaches charged at me. There were tens of them, and being afraid of bugs, I immediately panicked. Turning towards the huge door, I gracelessly tripped over a heavily clothed skeleton, which I shuffled away from on my knees.

My fingers brushed a heavy, metallic object, and taking a glance at it, I realized it was a handgun of some sort.

 _Nate used guns._

I grabbed it quickly, and aimed it at the nearing roaches. Blindly squeezing the trigger with tears in my eyes, I hoped I would kill one. The loud noise startled me, and I dropped the gun on my foot. I quickly leaned down, frantically grabbing for the gun. The roaches neared, and I, unable to aim in time, I kicked wildly at them. Odd, pained screeches rang in my ears, and I raised the gun to shoot once more.

This time I did not falter as heavily as the last, and killed a roach on the spot. The others stopped running toward me, and hurriedly fled back into their hiding spots. Sighing in relief, I dropped the handgun and rushed over to the door controls. A large red button lay under a protective seal, and by the looks of the empty hole to the left, it could be activated by using a key. In this large of a facility, it'd take me a definite while to find it. And I certainly didn't want to have to search the bodies strewn about.

Shoulders slumped, I slowly proceed towards the corpse of which I had unfortunately fallen over. Kneeling to the ground with reluctance, my hand lifts open one of the many pockets on the skeleton's coat, and reaches inward. I pull out…bottle caps? And a note, stating, 'DO NOT SPEND THESE ON POKER TONIGHT!'

" _The War had rid us of the use of the common dollar, as they lost their value over time…"_

Staring at the peculiar handful I had taken from the body, I continued to search the other pockets. The quick search was mostly fruitless, except for the few rounds I decided to take.

With awkward pats and looks around my bodysuit, I found I had no pockets to store my gathered materials. With a quick realization, and a strangled groan, I begin to lift the coat from the skeleton. I hear sickening cracks as I pull the coat upward, letting the bones fall on their own. The lower half of the body falls to the floor, parting from the original structure and rolls about. The arms stay in the sleeves, and the ribcage hangs loosely along with the fractured spine and skull. I shut my eyes and grab the end of a sleeve, wagging the coat around in hopes for the skeleton to fall out on its own.

 _Weak. A skeleton won't hurt you._

After taking the coat, I envelope myself in its warmth. It is several sizes too large for me, as it was most likely owned by a man. The sleeves cover up my hands and the whole of the coat falls below my bottom. Its dark, leathery exterior is contrasted by a soft, warm interior. Pockets line the breast and shoulder, both inside and out, providing space for ammunition and bottle caps I had found.

I had searched the next few bodies, becoming less and less sensitive to the fact that _I was searching dead bodies._ Coming across more bottle caps and a holster, I put the latter around my waist and pocket the caps. Once obtaining the holster, I decide to gather the handgun from the ground and place it at my hip. I take a round from my breast pocket and release the clip.

 _Nate taught me that._

The ammunition I had picked up seemed to fit the fire-arm, meaning that it was a ten millimeter pistol. The rounds had been marked with dark lettering, stating that they were, indeed, ten millimeter rounds.

 _This search was pointless in the end, I didn't find the key_ , I thought to myself. While walking towards a closed door, my foot brushed up against something. It looked like a large watch, covered in nobs and buttons, accompanied by a large screen in the center. Leaning down and grabbing it, I turn it on. I rub dust from the screen to see the lettering that appears clearer.

Joyous music suddenly blares from the device, now showing a smiling, blond character next to 'Vault Tech' in bold lettering.

"Hello, Vault Dweller! Welcome to your very own Vault Tech Pipboy!" the device sounds. "This helpful device can assist you in your daily activities serving in your vault. It will note your available and need-to-complete tasks, as well as give you directions to anywhere you—"

With a roll of my eyes, I watch the passing images with a blank stare, soon blocking out all audio.

Eventually, an image shows the vault door, as well as the door controls.

"—Just insert the cable into the space, with your Overseer's permission, and the release button should be available to you."

I smile, and quickly head over to the controls. Drawing the extendable cable into the hole, the lock over the red button retracts, leaving it open. With a deep breath I press down on the button.

The roar of rusty machinery cause my ears to ring, as the vault's door starts to be opened. The ground shakes, and I am forced to grab onto the control panel. Rolling to the right, the opening of the vault door reveals the elevator to the outside. Quickly stepping through the door, I press the arrowed button to call the elevator.

With a desperate plea for the elevator to work, I stare upwards, waiting for the platform to lower. Sparks fly, rusty gears grinding for the first time in… How long was I in that icebox?

Breaking me from my panic, the opening of the elevator door sends excitement into my system.

 _Shaun, I will find you._

The elevator brings me slowly up to the surface in a dark compartment, the only light coming from my Pipboy, now strapped to my wrist, under my heavy coat.

 _I left Nate down there. His body._

I drop down on the platform, banging my fist against the metal surface. With wails and teary cries, I call out to him. I didn't want to leave. I didn't say goodbye.

My cries were left unheard, as the roar of the elevator drowned me out. Suddenly, the elevator slowed even further, and light streamed onto me from above. I look up, shielding my eyes with an arm. The light was blindingly bright; I lost my sight within moments.

The elevator stopped moving.

A breeze blew my dark hair into my vision, which was still adjusting to the brighter surroundings. My breath caught in my throat as I heard the chirping of birds.

My eyes widened at the sight in front of me. I could see the entirety of Sanctuary Hills, and farther.

 _The War had destroyed everything._


	2. Chapter 2

"C-Codsworth, they're… _both_ gone…"

The floating, three-legged robot lets out a gasp.

After leaving the vault, I quickly ran down from the hill and rushed into my old neighborhood. For the most part, the bright-colored houses still stood—though riddled with holes and collapsed ceilings. The lawns were either dead, or overgrown with weeds, sided by naked trees who had fractured and fallen long ago. I was more than happy to see my Mr. Handy robot, Codsworth, flittering about the remains of my old home.

"Hmm… You must eat, Ms. Nora! You are suffering from hunger-induced paranoia! I suppose not eating well for two hundred years would do that to you."

My eyes widened. _Two hundred years?_ I thought frantically. _It couldn't have been that long!_

"Two hundred...fucking years? You aren't—"

"Of course not, Ms. Nora. It's been a little over two hundred and ten," Codsworth explained.

My breath had gotten lodged in my throat, kept from releasing.

 _I had been in an ice box for over two hundred years. How much had the world changed?_

I raised a hand to my forehead, processing the little, but world-changing information all at once. Codsworth inched closer to me, attempting to comfort me with a metal hand. I looked up to him, meeting one of his three gazes.

"Codsworth, Nathan's _dead_ and Shaun's been _kidnapped_. I won't say this again."

The robot flinches, and backs away. He then cries loudly, flailing his arms about. Codsworth continues to do so for a few minutes. I take the opportunity to search my Pip-Boy for the current date.

 _The year was 2287._

Codsworth wasn't kidding…even if he was irradiated and slightly frayed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mum! They were so dear to you! It must have been terrible. And I thought it was painful to wax nuclear fallout from vinyl wood for ten years straight!"

"Are you okay, Codworth?" I asked.

"Ah, spending two centuries without speaking to anyone was dreadful! And don't get me started on the futility of dusting a collapsed house! A-and the _car!_ How can you polish _rust?_ "

"Stay with me, pal. You need to focus."

"I so sorry, Mum. I thought for certain the family had all died when the bombs came. You all just left in such a hurry… I did, though, find this holotape from Mr. Nathan. He was supposed to present it to you. As a surprise. But, you know…all of _this_ 'happened.'"

I slowly grabbed the cartridge from the robot's hand, reading the label.

' _Hi, Honey!' If only he could say that now._

Tears welled in my eyes, and I had to cover my mouth to keep me from crying out. I missed him so much. This was the only thing I had left of Nate, besides my own wedding ring he had given to me.

"Thanks, Codsworth. This means a lot to me," I say.

"N-no problem, Ms. Nora," the robot sniffs—could robots even sniff?—"Would you mind taking a stroll through the neighborhood with me? Your son and husband may turn up yet."

With a nod, I gesture for him to lead. He'd hover in front of buildings, scan for any signs of life, and come up empty. I tried my best to keep my hopes from rising, but I wished so dearly for Shaun to be near. When Codsworth yelled an, "Ah-ha!" and dashed into a collapsed home, I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face. It wasn't until he came out almost as soon as he had entered with lifeless giant flies.

Codsworth approached me. I looked at him with disappointment, but also with an expression as to say, 'I told you so.' The robot's three arms drooped.

"I… They really are gone, aren't they?"

"Nate may be, but Shaun is still out there. I _will_ find him," I say with the utmost confidence. My baby was out there, and I would get him back no matter what it took to do so.

"I know you will, Mum. Perhaps the first step in finding him would be heading into town. There are people there, though they poked me with sticks last I saw them."

I smile weakly.

"Sound like my kind of people," I joke sarcastically.

"You really think so? That's wonderful. You should gain their assistance in no time," Codsworth replies, obviously not picking up on my sarcasm.

"Whilst you travel, I shall 'clean up' the house for you, should you choose to have visitors. I will also scrounge up some materials, should you need them when you return."

Smiling at him, I give him a warm thank you. He then floats off, attending to his chores. As he left, I began to feel an empty loneliness fall over me. I almost called out for him, but restrain myself. I suppose I would have to learn my way about this "new" world, and the best method of going about it would be on my own.

But before leaving, I take the holotape my Mr. Handy robot had given me, and place it into the insertion slot on my Pip-Boy. The audio immediately starts playing. I hear my husband hushing Shaun's gurgles, attempting to speak over them. I can imagine Shaun sitting on Nate's lap while the older of the two finds a comfortable spot in his seat, trying to keep Shaun from sitting on his manly bits.

I shut my eyes, ejecting the tape almost immediately after hearing his voice. It hurt too much.

 _I will not cry over him anymore._

The holotape now in my pocket, I leave down the road, and across the bridge at the end of Sanctuary Hills.

While walking towards the Red Rocket gas station, I noticed some decaying corpses pulled off and away from the road. With baited breath, I approach them. As I near the bodies, I hear a faint buzz emanating from their direction.

My heart beats loudly. _What is that noise?_ I ask myself. Grasping my pistol from its holster, I pull back the slide, and raise the sights in the direction of the buzzing sound. I slowly creep closer, taking quiet, soft steps. Atop the buzz could be heard crunching, gulping, and spilling… _Of what?_ Just nearly able to see over the bodies, I stop, eyes wide from fear.

A black, reflective shell covers the large abdomen of a four, hairy-legged insect, whose paper-thin wings twitch at every move.

 _A giant fly, huh? Still think those are on a different level of terrifying than a gun to your head._

I, frightened, to my bones, immediately raise my sights to the huge insect and pull the trigger. The fly has barely enough time to react as the bullet flies through its sickening body with a crunch. Bubbling, green liquid pours out of the hole made by the bullet, burning away the weeds growing from the ground.

I raise my hand to my mouth, a nauseous tickle in my throat. Within a minute I'm retching. I wipe excess stomach fluid from my lips and nose, face pulled into a disgusted expression.

Thoroughly finished with my little detour, I continue down the road to the gas station. Gun in my hand I walk up to the wasted building.

In a dark flash, I'm tackled to the ground, sticky liquid brushing over my face in strokes. I had attempted to push whatever it was off of me, but it was too heavy. With a strangled, "No," from my throat, the onslaught of face attacks stops, and the heavy weight pinning me down is lifted from me. I look up, and there sits a panting German Shephard, head tilted.

 _And to think_ _I was afraid of a mutt._

 **{-}**

 **Thank you all so much for the follows and favorites! I did** _ **not**_ **expect for this story to gain attention so quickly.**

 **And special thanks to** _ **Strigi**_ **and** _ **Xhydralisk**_ **for the reviews. Knowing how you like or dislike the story helps me keep writing.**

 **All thank-you's aside, I am planning on uploading at least one chapter a week, though I don't have a set weekday thought out.**

 **Oh, goodness, this is going to be good!**

 **-Artemisieh**


End file.
